Started in a poor town, now a well educated senior exec at a large company:

Have faith in yourself. If you stick to something day after day, eventually you will succeed at it

Look for what tour talents are. Play to your strengths more than you try to cover your weaknesses.

When you try to improve your life, know that there will be people who try to talk you out of it. You have to move past them if they won’t stop holding you down. By and large educated and well off people don’t do that, by the way.

There are likely people in your life trying to pull you down. You need to move on past them. This is hard but necessary. You may be able to come back later and help / save them, but only after you’ve really learned to stand as yourself own person.

Do not fear what you don’t understand. Do NOT assume you understand educated / “wealthy people.” I grew up hearing they were dishonest and took advantage of “us.” Not true. They don’t all think the poor are lazy and entitled either. Some are just unaware of poverty. They don’t even comprehend it. But they are no better or worse as group.

There are always justifications to stay poor / in the poor neighborhood / where you started. It’s not about being too good for where you came from. Don’t let fear hold you back. And don’t be afraid to leave and go somewhere new or become somebody new. I don’t know how you would do it staying where you are. Maybe it’s possible but I don’t know how.

Mindset keeps you poor. You can be educated and still focused too much on not losing money. Smart risk is just that - smart.

If you do get out, don’t forget everyone you had to leave behind. Take care of yourself and your family. When you are able to, reach back out and help pull more people out.